Hopefully, this won't be a setback.
I had sent Evan Blackstone an email a couple of weeks ago and have been waiting patiently to hear back from him on the progress of the redrafted legislation. The plan was to get the bill drafted and get it into a summer work session or two in order to get some support and work out any kinks in it before the actual start of the 2009 Regular Session.
Waiting, waiting, waiting.
So today I called. Not trying to be pushy. I know they are busy, but my impression is that the summer sessions start soon. We don't want to miss them altogether.
Ring, ring, ring. Legislative Council's Office.
Evan, apparently, no longer works in that office. That certainly explains why he didn't answer my email. So I was connected to someone else (Raoul, sorry can't remember his last name) and left a message for him. He is supposedly the person who would assign a drafter to our bill.
Raoul called back After a brief explanation of the bill and the plan for it, he said he would have someone call back within the week. He seemed to already know about the plan to get it into the summer sessions, so that's a good thing.
I certainly don't have a problem with someone else drafting it, but it can be a somewhat confusing issue. I want to make sure that whoever is drafting it has a chance to ask all the questions they may have so we aren't starting with bad information.
So that's where we stand right now. Still, in effect, waiting, waiting, waiting. But at least, now we know why we are waiting.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Additions
I have added a few links to the Support Links section.
One is the MISS Foundation Support Forums site. The other is the New Mexico Share Message Board. Both are wonderful support forums.
Incidentally, New Mexico Share is a recent addition to our state. They have only been having meeting since Spring 2007. Both Carin and I attend whenever we can to give and receive the support of other grieving families. Meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at the Center for Prenatal Development (located at 4010 Montgomery Blvd. in Albuquerque) at 7 p.m.
One is the MISS Foundation Support Forums site. The other is the New Mexico Share Message Board. Both are wonderful support forums.
Incidentally, New Mexico Share is a recent addition to our state. They have only been having meeting since Spring 2007. Both Carin and I attend whenever we can to give and receive the support of other grieving families. Meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at the Center for Prenatal Development (located at 4010 Montgomery Blvd. in Albuquerque) at 7 p.m.
Delays
Sorry that I haven't updated the blog recently. I keep meaning to post about the meeting with Donna Dossey, but I also keep forgetting to send her an email to clarify some points from that meeting. I've now sent that email and am waiting for her response.
I will say that we decided to not pursue the bill during the 2008 Regular (short) session. It was just going to be too difficult to even get it heard this year, so we decided to wait until the 2009 Regular (long) session. At this point we are waiting for the 2008 Regular session to close so that we can meet with Keith Gardner and then with Evan Blackstone. We do have a commitment from Evan to start drafting shortly after the session closes. Naturally, we will have to wait a bit longer if the governor calls a special session, but we hope to get the bill drafted soon so that we have as long as possible to make it right for the 2009 session.
So that's the update. Just waiting.
I will say that we decided to not pursue the bill during the 2008 Regular (short) session. It was just going to be too difficult to even get it heard this year, so we decided to wait until the 2009 Regular (long) session. At this point we are waiting for the 2008 Regular session to close so that we can meet with Keith Gardner and then with Evan Blackstone. We do have a commitment from Evan to start drafting shortly after the session closes. Naturally, we will have to wait a bit longer if the governor calls a special session, but we hope to get the bill drafted soon so that we have as long as possible to make it right for the 2009 session.
So that's the update. Just waiting.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Resolving the list
We have scheduled a meeting with Donna Dossey, Registrar, for Friday, Sept. 7th at 10 a.m. to discuss the list of documents their office will accept in order to get a delayed CBRS.
I am still hoping to persuade the state to accept a letter from your doctor as proof of a stillbirth. What the letter needs to say in order to be accepted is something that we still need to work out, as well as any other physical requirements. We do know that the letter would have to be from the doctor who delivered your child, and that the doctor would have to be certain of the case. "I think I delivered that child" will not be enough. This means that if your doctor is fuzzy on the details you may need to ask for a meeting with him/her and refresh their memory with a copy of your medical file before asking them to write the letter.
However, I think we can lay to rest the "we can't verify that a doctor is legitimate" excuse. I recently called the NM Medical Board to find out what it takes to verify the license of a medical physician practicing in the state. Apparently, it is as easy as a phone call or a web site visit. It is that easy for any consumer, and it is that easy for any state official or employee.
Hopefully, we can come up with a good list that will serve most families. Obviously, we can't account for every possible situation, but we can do our best to serve as many as possible.
I am still hoping to persuade the state to accept a letter from your doctor as proof of a stillbirth. What the letter needs to say in order to be accepted is something that we still need to work out, as well as any other physical requirements. We do know that the letter would have to be from the doctor who delivered your child, and that the doctor would have to be certain of the case. "I think I delivered that child" will not be enough. This means that if your doctor is fuzzy on the details you may need to ask for a meeting with him/her and refresh their memory with a copy of your medical file before asking them to write the letter.
However, I think we can lay to rest the "we can't verify that a doctor is legitimate" excuse. I recently called the NM Medical Board to find out what it takes to verify the license of a medical physician practicing in the state. Apparently, it is as easy as a phone call or a web site visit. It is that easy for any consumer, and it is that easy for any state official or employee.
Hopefully, we can come up with a good list that will serve most families. Obviously, we can't account for every possible situation, but we can do our best to serve as many as possible.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Waiting
Just an update.
Currently, we are waiting to redraft the legislation. The biggest challenge right now is that everyone has returned to their day jobs and is a little slow to respond, but that is to be expected. The other challenge we have is going to be getting into the 2008 session.
In New Mexico, legislative sessions in even years (like the coming 2008 session) are short--30 days as opposed to 60 days. The short sessions are for passing the state budget and other "germane" issues. So it becomes more difficult to get bills introduced in even-numbered years. But we will do everything we can to get it into the 2008 session. If those efforts fail, we will definitely get it into the 2009 session.
So, we are still working, but progress is slow in coming at this point. We are learning patience.
Currently, we are waiting to redraft the legislation. The biggest challenge right now is that everyone has returned to their day jobs and is a little slow to respond, but that is to be expected. The other challenge we have is going to be getting into the 2008 session.
In New Mexico, legislative sessions in even years (like the coming 2008 session) are short--30 days as opposed to 60 days. The short sessions are for passing the state budget and other "germane" issues. So it becomes more difficult to get bills introduced in even-numbered years. But we will do everything we can to get it into the 2008 session. If those efforts fail, we will definitely get it into the 2009 session.
So, we are still working, but progress is slow in coming at this point. We are learning patience.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Happy news
I am very happy to announce the arrival of Carin and Chokri's little girl, Camar. On Tuesday, June 19, 2007. Mom and 7+lb baby are both doing well.
Congratulations, Carin. All my love and wishes of peace.
Congratulations, Carin. All my love and wishes of peace.
Documentation
How do I get the Report of Fetal Death for my child?
1. If your child was born still in 2004 or later, call the Office of Vital Statistics. Ask to speak to Donna Dossey, Registrar. They will gladly provide you with a copy.
2. If your child was born still before 2004 and you requested a copy of the RFD at the time and still have that copy, you are all set.
3. If your child was born still before 2004 and you did not request a copy of the RFD before it was destroyed, you will need to either get a copy of the RFD from various files or you will need to provide other documents.
We suggest requesting a copy of your complete medical records from the hospital where your child was delivered for the time that your child was delivered. Your medical records will include many things, including pathology and autopsy reports. There is a chance that your medical records will include a copy of the RFD since it was filled out by the hospital medical records department. Though it is not standard practice, some hospital administrators may have included a copy in your file, but there is no guarantee.
We also suggest requesting a copy of the file from your funeral home. Technically, the funeral home needed a copy of the RFD in order to take possession of your child’s body for final disposition. So there is a good chance that their files will have it. However, that is not what happens in all cases. In cases where the RFD was not available before final disposition, the funeral home would have filled out a Death Certificate for their own records. This death certificate should have the funeral home’s license number on it.
Funeral home records and medical records are kept indefinitely (barring unforeseen acts such as floods or fires). So you should be able to request copies of these files at any time, but it may take some time for the institution in question to retrieve and copy the files for you. Have patience.
4. We are still working on the list of documents needed to request a delayed RFD and CBRS. Part of the reason we suggest requesting the complete files from the hospital and the funeral home is that any documents on the list will more than likely be included in those files. As of right now if you don’t have and can’t get a copy of the original RFD, you will have to present a copy of the funeral home Death Certificate (with license number) and a copy of the autopsy report. Obviously, not every family requests an autopsy, that is why we are still looking for documents the state will accept.
1. If your child was born still in 2004 or later, call the Office of Vital Statistics. Ask to speak to Donna Dossey, Registrar. They will gladly provide you with a copy.
2. If your child was born still before 2004 and you requested a copy of the RFD at the time and still have that copy, you are all set.
3. If your child was born still before 2004 and you did not request a copy of the RFD before it was destroyed, you will need to either get a copy of the RFD from various files or you will need to provide other documents.
We suggest requesting a copy of your complete medical records from the hospital where your child was delivered for the time that your child was delivered. Your medical records will include many things, including pathology and autopsy reports. There is a chance that your medical records will include a copy of the RFD since it was filled out by the hospital medical records department. Though it is not standard practice, some hospital administrators may have included a copy in your file, but there is no guarantee.
We also suggest requesting a copy of the file from your funeral home. Technically, the funeral home needed a copy of the RFD in order to take possession of your child’s body for final disposition. So there is a good chance that their files will have it. However, that is not what happens in all cases. In cases where the RFD was not available before final disposition, the funeral home would have filled out a Death Certificate for their own records. This death certificate should have the funeral home’s license number on it.
Funeral home records and medical records are kept indefinitely (barring unforeseen acts such as floods or fires). So you should be able to request copies of these files at any time, but it may take some time for the institution in question to retrieve and copy the files for you. Have patience.
4. We are still working on the list of documents needed to request a delayed RFD and CBRS. Part of the reason we suggest requesting the complete files from the hospital and the funeral home is that any documents on the list will more than likely be included in those files. As of right now if you don’t have and can’t get a copy of the original RFD, you will have to present a copy of the funeral home Death Certificate (with license number) and a copy of the autopsy report. Obviously, not every family requests an autopsy, that is why we are still looking for documents the state will accept.
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